Coin-controlled directory-holder.



J. A. BALDWIN.

COIN CONTROLLED DIRECTORY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, um.

1,074,035, Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

His iQ I E" I MN I N Fl m WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOI? e gm; amesflfia/ m 2 i ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOaRAPfl COUWASHXNOTON. n. c.

J. A. BALDWIN.- COIN CONTROLLED DIRECTORY HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1913.

1 074,035. Patented Sept. 23, 1913. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANooRAPn 60., WASHINGTON, n. g.

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFTCE.

JAMES ARTHUR BALDWIN, 0F MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS.

COIN-CONTROLLED IDIRECTORY-HOLDER To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES A. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Maynard, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Coin-Controlled Directory- Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a book holder of that type in which the book is normally held closed, but which can be allowed to open by the pressing of a treadle; and the invention has particular reference to a holder for a directory, with internal mechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin, so that, be fore the book can be opened by pressing the treadle, a coin of suitable denomination. must be deposited. A device of this character is particularly adapted for use in public places, such as drug stores, cigar stores, hotels and the like, where the public will have ready access to a directory or other book of reference by a small payment for such use.

The invention has for its principal object to provide an apparatus of this character which is extremely simple in construction and operation, reliable and durable in use, and at the same time proof against tampering with.

Another object of the invention is the employment of a simple and effective means for operating the book opening-and-closing arms, there being combined with such operating means a coin-controlled bolt which can be thrown to releasing position upon the insertion of a coin into the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the employment of a coin-controlled mechanism of simple design and formed of few parts which cannot become disordered in use or tampered with.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a directory holder. showing the directory locked in closed posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1913.

Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

Serial No. 753,989.

tion; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3---3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4t-.i. of Fig. 2, showing the coin-controlled locking bolt for directory opening-and-closing means; and Figs. 5 to 7 are detail views showing the part the coin inserted into the machine plays between the locking bolt and the push button for releasing such bolt.

In the present instance I have shown the directory holder in the form of a cabinet or stand, but it is to be understood that the apparatus can take other embodiments.

The cabinet or stand A is provided at its top with a holder B for containing or sup porting a directory or other book of reference O. This holder is shown as consisting of a plate 1 on which the back of the directory C rests, the ends of the plate 1 being turned up into flanges 2 to which is fastened a rod 2 passing through and retaining the directory in place. Cooperating with the holder B are swinging cover-engaging arms 3, which, where engaging the book, are covered with rubber tubing 3, and they are provided with journals 4 mounted in bearing plates 5 secured to the top 6 of the cabinet or stand. These arms are adapted to swing from an upright parallel position. where they hold the book closed, to a downward lateral position, where they form supports to hold the book open.

The means for operating the arms 3 comprises a rod 7 which extends vertically through the cabinet or stand and has at its upper end two sets of rack teeth 8 which engage with pinions 9 rigidly connected with the booloholding arms 5), the said pinions having their axes coincident with the axis on which the arms 3 swing. By reciprocating the rod 7 longitudinally the arms 3. by the inter-meshing rack teeth and pinions, will swing up and down. The rod 7 passes through a tube 10 fixed within the cabinet, and on the lower portion of the rod is a spring 11, which operates on the latter in such a direction as to move the bookholding arms upwardly to closed position. Pivoted in the base of the cabinet is a treadle 12, which has its rear or inner end connected at 1?) with the lower end of the rod 7. By pressing downwardly on the foot portion 14: of the treadle the rod 7 is moved upwardly to cause the rack teeth on the upper end of the rod to rotate the pinions 9 and swing the arms 3 to open position. During this upward movement of the rod 7 the spring 11 is compressed and held under tension as long as the foot is retained on the treadle 12. As soon as the foot is removed the spring 11 expands to move the rod 7 downwardly to cause the arms 3 to swing upwardly and close the book when so doing.

When the book is closed it cannot be opened without the deposit of a coin, and for this purpose the spring-pressed bolt 14: is mounted in the cabinet to engage in a notch 15 in the rod 7. The bolt 14 is centrally disposed in'a frame 16 which is open to accommodate the tube 10 and rod 7. This boltcarrying frame 16 is slidably mounted on parallel guides 17 mounted in the cabinet behind the tube 10, and a helical compression spring 18 is disposed around the rear portion of the bolt 14 and interposed between the rear of the frame 16 and a fixed abutment 19, the tension of the spring being such that the bolt ltis yieldingly held in engagement with the arm-operating rod 7. The bolt 14: is adapted to be released by the pressing inwardly of a push button 20 after the insertion of a coin into the machine. This push button is on the forward end of a rod 21 which extends into the machine and is slidable in fixed guides 22. Between one of the guides 22 and the shoulder 23 of the push button rod or stem 21 is a spring 24 which holds the push button outwardly. On the forward portion of the frame 16 is a tubular extension piece or abutment 25 which has its bore in line with the inner end of the push button stem, so that in pushing inwardly on the push button the stem will enter the bore of the member 25 without producing movement of the part 16. By the insertion of a coin between the inner end of the stem 21 of the member 25 the latter can be moved rearwardly to release the bolt 14 from the rod 7 it being understood that the push button rod 21, frame 16 and interposed coin will move as a unit rearwardly during the releasing of the bolt let. The coin ocoupies an interposed position by being arrested in the bottom end of a coin chute 26 which has a mouth 27 at the top of the cabinet. When the coin is in the bottom of the coin chute it is in the position shown in Fig. 5, and moon a movement inwardly on the push button the coin will be brought into engagement with the member or button 25, as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the push button stem and the coin 28, together with the member 25, will move as a unit to the dotted line position in Fig. 6. The bolt 14 is thereby released, and by placing pressure by the foot on the treadle 12 the operator can cause the directory to be opened. When;

the rod 7 moves upwardly upon the pressure of the treadle the bolt 1% will engage the rod 7' as soon as the user releases pressure from the push button 20. As soon as this is done the push button returns'by its spring 2 1- to normal position, so that the coin 28 will be released from between the push button stem and member 25, and as a consequence the coin is dropped into a hopper 29 which empties into a coin drawer 30 in the cabinet. lVhen the user is through with the directory he releases pressure of the foot from the treadle so that the spring 11 will come into play and close the arms 3. This closing is accompaniedwith the downward movement of the rod 7 l/Vhen the notch 15 in the rod 7 comes opposite the bolt .14: the

latter springs into engagement with the notch 15, so that the device is locked against further use until another coin is deposited.

At the top of the cabinet may be arranged one or more pockets 31 for holding memorandum slips 82, on which the user may write out the address of any person he is looking up in the directory.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of the method of operation and'of the apparatus shownwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the apparatus which I now 'conas are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosec'ure by Letters Patent:

1. A directory holding apparatus comprising holding means including swinging arms, pinions connected with the arms, a reciprocating element having rack teeth engaging the pinions, a spring-pressed bolt normally engaging the said 'element for preventing movement thereof, and means for releasing the bolt. 7

2. A directory holding apparatus comprising a cabinet, pivoted arms at the top thereof for engaging the directory, pinions on the arms, a rod having rack teeth engaging the pinions and extending from the top of the cabinet to the bottom thereof, a treadle connected with the rod and fulcrumed on the cabinet for moving the rod in .one direction, a springfor moving the rod in the opposite direction, locking means in the cabinet adapted to set automatically to lock the rod against movement, and means for releasing the locking'means.

3. 1n a directory holding apparatus, the combination of a movable element, a bolt engaging the element, a frame on which the bolt is mounted, a support for slid-ably supname to this specification in the presence of portlng the Home, a sprlnor operating to two subserlblng witnesses.

hold the bolt enga ed with the said element, w 1 and Inenua11y-operated means for moving JAMEb AhlHUR BALDWIN 5 the frame in opposition to the spring to re- Witnesses:

lease the bolt. GEORGE C. HYNDMAN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my I'IAROLI) CU'l'lELL.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Fatents, Washington, D. C. 

